


Running in Circles

by Nehesemhotep



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, And Gordon, Basically Alastair is an assbutt, Drabble, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Homophobic Language, I miss Meg, M/M, Meg is nice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 14:34:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3814105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nehesemhotep/pseuds/Nehesemhotep
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So Cas is a sophomore on the track team, somewhat of a star athlete. Dean is a freshman, and recently moved to the area.  Dean joins the team and amidst the drama of the season the two will come together in old fashioned fluffy and angsty goodness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Running in Circles

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so it's been a few years since I was in high school, the number is not of import. :D
> 
> Anyhoo, I ran track when I was in high school and based on my recollections, tried to piece together what the season entailed. So I apologize if any track-elite-amazing people are like umm that's not how it works.

The first day of track practice every school year was one the best days of spring.  Cas practically skipped to the track, humming to himself as he wondered what the competition would be like this year.  He loved sizing up the new runners.  His forté was the mile, the 1600, the 1-6-0-0. His brother Gabriel put it a little more crudely, but despite shaking his head, Cas couldn’t help but smile anyways.  His mother called him prideful, and perhaps he did indulge himself a _little_.  Every fall he worked hard, so that on the first day of practice the coaches would give him one of those pleasantly surprised smiles.  

This particular afternoon was cool but mild for March, and Cas could already see a good turnout, with a fair amount of new faces among the crowd.  “Go get em’ baby bro, maybe there will be a hotshot stud for you among the crowd this year!” Gabriel had shouted at him as Cas ran in the house after school to change his clothes and grab a snack.

Gabe did have a point; Cas met his first boyfriend at track last year.  Short lived but definitely educational. Cas chuckled as he thought about it.  He finally made it to the throng of people, pushing past the track gates and looking around.  He saw familiar faces, Meg, Balthazar, Alastair.  His nose crinkled in preemptive annoyance as he saw Alastair.  Thank goodness the guy was a senior this year, and Cas only had to deal with him one more season.

Cas’ stomach did a little flip as he saw one of the new kids, a freshman, Dean.  Dean had moved to town just last semester, and was in Cas’ English class, despite being a year behind him.  This alone intrigued him. That and the fact that the young man had a gorgeous smile that lit up his entire freckled face.  Every time Cas went running in the woods after school, he was reminded of Dean’s eyes because the light hitting the leaves in shades of gold and green matched them perfectly.

Dean was standing off to the side, alone, kind of unsure.  Cas got the impression that Dean kind of ghosted in and out of the school, and had never really had a chance to talk to him.  Dean must have sensed eyes on him, because he started looking around.  Cas face palmed in his mind and turned away quickly, as one of the coaches, Mr. Greyson began to assign the new kids to different events they could try out for a day or so.  Cas perked up as he heard the “Dean Winchester.”  Dean stepped forward a little bit,

“That’s me.” He wore an easy smile but Cas could detect he was a little out of his element.  The coach considered.  Cas knew Dean was taller than him, and he looked fit.  He was pretty muscled, too, and Cas wondered if coach would put him in shotput.  Maybe he was a sprinter.  Cas was startled when coach suggested,  

“What do you think about trying out hurdles?”  Dean seemed to shrink a little and hesitated.  Cas didn’t blame him.  Being kind of clumsy,  Cas felt like a complete stooge trying to race over those things.  One of the seniors, probably Alastair, snickered.  Dean jutted his chin up and crossed his arms,

“Sure, uh, coach. No problem.”  The coach nodded curtly, “Great.  Charles Shurley?”  

“It’s Chuck, coach.” A confident voice piped up. The voice belonged to a thin boy at the end, his skin was kinda pale and didn’t look like he did a lot of physical activity.  Then again, you just never knew.  Before Mr. Greyson could say anything the kid volunteered, “I’ll do hurdles, too, coach.”  The coach paused and squinted at him.  Chuck just kept talking, “I mean, my mom already says I’m jumpy I might as well jump over something. Besides I’m going to suck at whatever event you put me in. I mean, do you think I’d be doing track if my mom didn’t make me? Running is hard.”  All of this was said in one long breath and elicited a few chuckles from the crowd.  

Mr. Greyson sighed, “Sure, fine.”  He continued on to the next name, then the next. One of the newcomers was a girl named Jo.  She had a fierce look in her eye and an easy confidence that made Cas thinking she was probably pretty good.  As coach dismissed them to their areas, Cas caught Dean’s eye, who quickly looked away. Cas frowned, but before he could think too much about it Inias grabbed him by the elbow and they made their way onto the track.

 

Three days later Cas was circling the track on a cool down lap.  He was vaguely aware of the group practicing on the hurdles on the last 400, but stuck to the inside lap and focused inward. He loved how he could analyze how his body moved, on assessing and acknowledging his body’s successes and also when it wanted him to stop, to be able to be like, okay, I hear you, but I am going to push myself further anyway.  He also loved being able to drift a little, when he was cooling down or taking easy long runs. He could daydream and think and could count on his feet to keep him on the right track.  He was engaged in these thoughts when a loud crash caused him to jump slightly. He looked over his shoulder and saw one of the hurdles knocked over, a boy with blond hair limping to his feet. Dean.  Cas sighed.

It wasn’t the first time Dean had bulldozed through the hurdles, causing many a snicker and laugh.  He didn’t know why he just didn’t ask the coach to switch. Dean was fast, too. Cas knew that because once he was running past their house and saw Dean passing a football with a younger boy, slighter of build but just as tall. He found out it was his brother, Sam. In any case, Sam was throwing (he had quite an arm, actually) and Dean raced effortlessly to catch it, each time.

Dean was standing uncomfortably next to the fence as the next line of kids ran, and he saw Cas staring at him.  His cheeks flushed slightly and he raised his eyebrows in a defensive _what are you looking at_ glare. Against his better judgement, Cas wandered over to the fence.  The next runners did their turn, and they began to collect the hurdles.  Cas approached Dean, whose face was wary and slightly defensive, “Why are you doing hurdles?” He felt himself asking, and instantly face palmed. _Oh my god, do I have no tack?_ _I might as well have told him he was horrible._  Dean’s face hardened and he crossed his arms, “Why, cause’ I suck?”  

“No, no..It’s just..”  As he sputtered, Cas was surprised to see Dean’s face softening, and took a breath, “It’s just that you are a good runner, I mean like, you’ve got speed and the athleticism. You could easily do a lot of other events.” Cas watched Dean’s face go from surprised to pleased to bashful, the blush on his face growing, and he almost died when Dean let out a soft laugh. God it was beautiful.  Dean gave a wry grin, “I guess I just hate quitting.”  Cas nodded, “I understand.”  He felt a surprising wave of fondness for the stubborn freshman. He was tough. A lesser man would have quit the entire track team by now from embarrassment alone.  

He told Dean so, and Dean’s smile grew.  The coach signaled for everyone to pack up their belongings and get going. Dean picked up his bag and Cas followed, and as Dean walked off he turned once briefly, “See ya, Cas.”  Cas smiled in return, giving an awkward little half wave as he realized Dean called him by name, butterflies tingling in his stomach.

 

After that they fell into an easy...friendship? They didn’t talk all that much, but Dean always greeted Cas with a hey and maybe a shoulder pat and some idle chitchat before practice started. And when Cas looked over during practice, he would find himself laughing quietly as Dean made a face, either at himself or, more frequently, at Alastair. After practice, Cas would go over and help collect hurdles with Dean, and they would leave with matching smiles.  It was nice. Cas kind of shut himself away from the rest of the team because of his one minded concentration on training and sometime it annoyed the less invested team members. Not that he cared if they were on the team to win, to hang with their friends, or whatever.

        Or like Dean, who seemed to be on the team for the sole reason of saying shove it to the people who said he couldn’t.  Cas arrived at practice late one day, because he had a dentist appointment, and try as he may, could not get the assistant to stop talking. Apparently she had a finicky beagle at home, and as sympathetic as Cas tried to be, he really didn’t care that the dog only ate cheese.  Sighing, and whipping his track shoes around idly as he approached the track, he heard voices coming from under the bleachers on the far end.  Always curious, he slowed and tilted his head to try and get a better listen.  Frowning, he thought he heard his name. And there, he was sure, Dean’s voice. Quietly walking through, hiding in the shadows, Cas began to hear the whole of the conversation.  

“...all I’m saying is, it’s not good man.”

“Shut up Gordon, what’s it matter anyway?” Dean’s voice was scornful and...defensive? Cas didn’t like where this conversation was headed. He’d heard many ones similar.

“Because the kids’ a fuckin’ fag is what. He may be safe here ‘cause his precious little ass can run, but if he thinks he’s going to spend my senior year flaunting himself, he’s got another thing coming.”

Alastair’s syrupy voice made a stone drop in Cas’ stomach. He knew Alastair didn’t like him because he had always been in competition for the top mile times with him. The last practice, coach had told Cas he might make State, and completely ignored Alastair’s furious gaze.  Just perfect. Cas had never had issues with bullying, not really, not compared to some people. But if Alastair got some steam behind him, it could really turn some of his more impressionable classmates very quickly.  He felt tears pricking at his eyes. The track was _his_.  The one place where he was safe, where he just _was_. And Alastair wanted to tear that down.  Cas heard Dean’s reply, beginning quietly than gaining confidence,

“You know what Alastair? You can go to hell.” Alastair’s laugh trickled off,

“What was that, freshman?”  Shit. Cas couldn’t let Dean be a target too, but he didn’t know what he could do.  

“I said-go to hell. Cas is a better runner than you, and you just can’t stand that.”

“I’d watch your tone, boy.” the voice gone cold and warning. Then Cas heard footsteps coming his way as he heard Dean’s derisive snort.  Panicking, he scuttled back through the bleachers, but ended up coming out into the sun right next to Dean. “Dean.” Cas’ voice was positively shaking. From what he heard Dean didn’t care about his sexuality, but he also knew by now that Dean also just hated bullies, and even if he didn’t like Alastair’s tone, what did he _really_ think.  

Dean stared at him for a long second, taking in his mild shaking and eyes that were probably a little wet around the edges. Then he quickly smiled, though it wasn’t the full kind that reached his eyes, “Fancy meeting you here.”  

Cas nodded and practically bolted, taking the moment as Jo arrived and literally jumped into Dean’s arms, prompting a “Jesus, Jo, warn a guy,” from Dean and an easy laugh. As Cas had predicted, the young willowy blond had excelled in every event that she had been placed in.  Practice began and Cas lost his worries in the circles of the track.  At the end of practice, Cas slowly walked over to the hurdles and began collecting them. Dean smiled at him like nothing was different and lifted his elbow to show a nasty bruise blossoming over it.  

“What do you make of this baby, Cas?”  Cas laughed, a weight being lifted off his chest.

        “That’s quite spectacular, Dean.”  

“Yup. Although actually, I only fell once today. It’s just, the one fall I had, was pretty epic. But I think if I go REALLY slow for the meet on Saturday, I might make it through okay.” Cas let himself smile softly and looked into Dean’s eyes maybe a little longer then he would otherwise dare.  Dean started to smile like he wasn’t quite sure what to make of the lingering look, and then he coughed and hefted the hurdle he’d been idling next to and they walked off the track together.    

 

The Saturday of the first track meet was absolutely awful. Misting and grey, with impending storms and torrential downpours lingering just out of reach.  It made the track slippery and the pits muddy.  It was also _not_ a warm rain.  Cas pulled his jacket further around him, looking at the the little mounds of students huddled together under blankets and umbrellas, all just waiting for the meet to either start or be canceled.

        Cas looked with concern over at Dean. He looked miserable.  It was like any hope Dean had of not face planting was likely extinguished. And Dean knew it.  He sat next to Jo, and so was Meg, which was surprising. Meg’s prickly personality usually drove off the less than strong willed. But then again, neither Dean nor Jo were anything but fierce. Or at least usually, looking at Dean’s expression, Cas felt himself drawn over like a magnet.  They were friends now, it was cool right? He sat next to Dean and gave a small, sympathetic smile.  Jo shouted over Dean’s lap, “Squish in closer, Cas, we’re freezing here!” Cas looked to Dean who just pulled the blanket over as he scooted closer.   

Cas felt his thigh touch Dean’s, a small patch of warmth in the cold.  Then his whole side was pressed against Dean as he pulled the fabric of the comforter across his shoulders.   Dean’s body was tense against his, and his face showed his anxiety. In fact, Dean seemed almost oblivious to anything but his inner turmoil. “My brother’s here.” Dean said softly, finally.

“Sam?” Cas said, trying to catch Dean’s eye.

“Yeah. He’s just. It’s just, I don’t want to fuck up in front of him you know.” Dean talked so quietly that Cas had to strain to hear. Jo was arguing good naturedly with Meg, and it made Cas feel guiltily good that Dean only wanted him to hear. To share this vulnerability.  Cas wanted desperately to take Dean’s hand, hug him, and tell him it wouldn’t matter how this meet went. He was still Sam’s big brother. But he couldn’t. Or he didn’t have the guts to.  

The four of them sat together for a while, Meg eventually conceding the argument to Jo and gave Cas a smile, “Clarence! It’s about time you joined us.” Cas couldn’t help but laugh, and they looked at each other for a moment warmly.  Meg was one of the first people Cas told about being gay.  Rather, it kind of came up when she kissed him.  It was one of those friendships that came out of nowhere. Meg had always been a bit of a cold, snarky person. And sometimes she followed Alastair around. Her first words to Cas as a freshman were not that nice.

But then at a party that year, Cas attempted to escape the hoopla for a second by ducking into one of the bedrooms and found it occupied, not empty, not even by a couple, but by a crying Meg.  Her parents were very strict about grades, and her father was a doctor. He wanted her to do something equally “important”.  Apparently that day Meg had gotten another C on her Chemistry test, told her parents she wanted to be an artist, and was kicked out of the house with no dinner and told to come back when she fixed her attitude.  

She had looked up at Cas when he walked in, emotions completely laid bare.  He had sat next to her, wrapped an arm across her shoulders, and didn’t say a word.  After Meg stopped crying, she tried to kiss him. He gently pushed her back, instead giving her a kiss on the forehead, and a hug. That of course prompted another bout of sobs. But since then they kind of looked out for each other. Cas was actually quite protective of her.  

Dean stood up, knocking the blanket off and causing Cas to shiver. Without a word he threw a leg over the bleacher steps and then walked down the stairs.  Jo and Meg shrugged their shoulders, and Cas tucked the blanket over Jo’s shoulder, getting a smile in return before he trotted after Dean.  Dean was walking to the outbuilding where the restrooms were. As Dean turned the corner, Cas shouted a “Wait, Dean!”

Cas rounded the corner and nearly collided with Dean, who stood, eyebrows raised, “Yeah?”

Fuck it. Cas threw himself at Dean, wrapping him in a bear hug, “It’ll be okay, Dean.” Dean’s body stiffened initially then wrapped his arms back around Cas and actually held on to the back of Cas’ jacket. “Fuckin’ sucks, Cas.” he mumbled from where he had pressed his face into Cas’ neck.  Cas couldn’t breathe. This was not a friend hug. Right?  Dean’s hair tickled his chin, his breath warm on his neck, and his hands were fisted in his shirt.

“I...understand, Dean. I am sorry.” Cas managed to get out, and Dean finally broke away.  

Dean’s breath was shaky, “Cas, I, umm, I, you know.”

“Yeah?” Cas’ face began to burn. oh my god, did Dean, like him? Dean’s mouth opened and closed and finally he just took Cas’ hand.

“Do you...I think you’re…” Cas could read the panic in Dean’s voice and squeezed Dean’s hand,

“I like you Dean, a lot.”

Dean sighed in relief,  “Me too, you know, the same.” He smiled tentatively, still holding Cas’ hand, and Cas grinned back, feeling it spread as he fought to keep himself from shouting for joy.  The mist in the air had been getting heavier and now it was sprinkling steadily. Little rivulets ran down Dean’s face and Cas could feel his shirt sticking to his skin.

A whistle blew out and the coaches began to shout that lightning was spotted and a storm was picking up. The meet was postponed until the next day.  As if the skies had just been waiting for a cue, as the parents began to start their cars and as the students collected their belongings, it began to pour.  Dean was pulled away from Cas by Sam, whose hair was flopped and plastered all over his face. It was a wonder he could even see, Cas thought with amusement, “Dean, let’s go!”  

Dean looked over his shoulder at the parking lot, “But dad’s got the impala. He wasn’t going to be back yet.”  Cas stood awkwardly, not sure if he should go or not. Sam shook his head, “Naw, Bobby’s giving us a ride. I called him a little while ago.”  Dean flicked his gaze over to Cas and back,

“All right Sammy, be right there, okay?”  Sam nodded and bolted off, maneuvering through the crowd.  Dean looked back at Cas, the only sound being the pouring of the rain.  Quickly Dean reached forward and grabbed Cas’ wrist, ducking in for a kiss before bolting off himself. Cas couldn’t stop smiling the entire ride home, the feel of Dean’s lips against his lingering.  God, he loved track.


End file.
